The 2.5 mile long tunnel, built in 1943, is a single lane railroad tunnel that was not meant for cars. Back in the day the town was only accessible by boat and train. To get your car into Whittier you had to load it on the train. In 2000 they modified the surface so cars could also travel through. Traffic is regulated- the road goes to Whittier on the half hour and out of Whittier on the hour. It runs for 15 minutes each way leaving times for the trains when they need them to pass through. We were intrigued on our 2003 trip so we came here to check it out. Times have definitely changed. There was not much traffic then, no cruise ships, and only a few restaurants. Now it’s a booming tourist town and the traffic lines up in a staging area!
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